Inspirational words from a technology legend

Last night, David Chalk delivered a candid talk to a crowd of approximately 80 local residents, including many community leaders, entrepreneurs  and other businesspeople. Chalk was the keynote speaker for the Timmins Economic Development Corporation’s Innovation Keynote Address. The event was designed to get people thinking about the concepts of productivity and innovation in anticipation of the upcoming Centre of Excellence for Timmins.

Chalk talked openly about his struggles as a child with ADHD, Dyslexia and Prosopagnosia, being told many times he would never amount to anything. He explained how that pain helped give him the passion he needed to succeed. Chalk explained to a rapt audience that all an entrepreneur is is someone who identifies a problem and tries to solve it. But to be successful, entrepreneurs need to proceed without being hindered by worry over whether or not they will fail. He said entrepreneurs require passion, and that passion stems from pain and/or empathy.

Most importantly for Timmins residents, Chalk stressed that people are no longer limited by where they live. “Don’t tell me that you are hindered by being in the middle of nowhere. Technology is everywhere, which means the world is at your doorstep. Embrace that, and the possibilities are endless.” Timmins 2020 has immortalized those inspirational words on our Facebook page. View the image here.